Large Mask (Goli glen)

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The Goli masquerade of the Baule peoples was usually performed during the funerary ceremonies for important members of the community. The dance was comprised of four masks that represent a male-female pair. This mask is a representation of Goli Glen, an elder bush spirit that has antelope,...

The Goli masquerade of the Baule peoples was usually performed during the funerary ceremonies for important members of the community. The dance was comprised of four masks that represent a male-female pair. This mask is a representation of Goli Glen, an elder bush spirit that has antelope, buffalo, and crocodile features. The red pigment symbolizes blood, danger, and aggression and the mask is connected to both death and renewal. The presence of the Goli Glen was particularly powerful and women and children were discouraged from staring directly into the mouth of the mask. The Goli masquerade is still performed today; however it has become increasingly secularized.